A male teacher at an elementary school in western Japan has complained of being bullied by four senior colleagues, claiming they daubed curry on his body and rubbed spicy soup against his eyes, a local education board said Friday. (Japan Today)

A Japanese court ruled on Thursday against a government deportation order issued to a U.S. activist opposing dolphin hunts when he tried to enter Japan three years ago. (Kyodo)

Head to the winding streets of Tokyo’s trendy Omotesando district on any given day and you’ll see young South Korean women taking selfies in front of popular cafes or snapping photos of their logo-emblazoned coffee cups. (Japan Times)

A Japanese airline seat-booking system that shows where young children will be sitting on flights is stirring controversy through overseas media and social networking services. (NHK)

Japan has a problem. More and more tourists are visiting but very few of them leave the trail between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima. (ONLY in JAPAN)

Shinobu Sato, a Japanese soprano singer known for her performances in European and American opera houses, has died, her office said Thursday. She was 61. (Kyodo)

Japan is ready to share, as requested by South Korea, information related to the launch a day earlier of what North Korea claims to have been a submarine-launched ballistic missile, government sources said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Typhoon Mitag, which is traveling across the Sea of Japan and has brought torrential rain to the western region, was downgraded Thursday to an extratropical cyclone, but powerful winds were still expected in areas facing the sea, the weather agency said. (Japan Times)

Japan staff of Uber Technologies Inc.’s food delivery service Uber Eats formed a labor union Thursday to negotiate contract terms and seek improved working conditions. (Japan Times)

North Korea's state-run media reports that the country has succeeded in test-firing a submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM. (NHK)

The consumption tax hike to 10 percent Tuesday has left low-income households already struggling to make ends meet worrying about how to cope with the higher cost of living. (Japan Times)

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. has terminated its embattled 7pay smartphone-based cashless payment service, leaving around 400,000 users still with unused deposits in the service. (Japan Times)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday Japan's national interests are protected under a trade agreement with the United States but he vowed to prepare measures to address the concerns of farmers in the country before the pact takes effect. (Kyodo)

More than 330 coins were found in the stomach of a dead alligator in a central Japan zoo in May, apparently having been swallowed over a span of decades as visitors tossed spare change into the pond while making a wish. (Kyodo)

Yomiuri Giants captain Hayato Sakamoto was among the 28 players named Tuesday to the Japan national team for the upcoming Premier12, an international baseball event that doubles as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Japan Times)

A baby sea lion that was missing since last week has been found safe at a zoo in Osaka City, western Japan. (NHK)

Mention the town of Nara to many people in Japan, and the first thing they’ll think of isn’t one of the city’s historical temples or shrines, nor the city’s former status as the capital of all Japan. Nope, for a lot of people, the next word that springs to mind after they hear “Nara” is “deer.” (soranews24.com)

The parents of a 7-year-old girl who went missing at a mountainous campsite in Doshi-mura, Yamanashi Prefecture, on Monday spoke publicly for the first time about their agony and hope for their daughter’s safe return. They also gave permission for the police to release a photo of their daughter, Misaki Ogura. (Japan Today)

A South Korean F-15 fighter jet has flown over the Takeshima Islands in the Sea of Japan as part of an Armed Forces Day ceremony. The islands are controlled by South Korea but claimed by Japan. (NHK)

A record high percentage of Japan's male government officials took childcare leave in the fiscal year that ended in March. (NHK)

Media have been invited to view the renovated exterior of an ancient castle tower in southwestern Japan, which was seriously damaged by earthquakes in 2016. (NHK)

In Japan, the consumption tax rose from 8 to 10 percent on Tuesday. The government says the increase was needed to help cover ballooning social security costs and pay down massive public debt. (NHK)

The last remaining pager service in Japan is being terminated on Monday. (NHK)

The extent of SoftBank Group's exposure to the recent woes at WeWork is the talk of the town, as the U.S. office-sharing startup said Monday that it will officially scrap an initial public offering planned for this month. (Nikkei)

A large and strong typhoon is bringing heavy rains and powerful winds to parts of southwestern Japan. (NHK)